NBA releases preliminary 2026 draft order ahead of May lottery
nba-2026-draft-preliminary-order
The NBA on Monday set the tentative order for the 2026 draft, locking in positions for both rounds except for the top 14 selections that will be settled by the lottery on May 10.
Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn enter the drawing with the best chance—14 percent each—of capturing the No. 1 pick. All 14 non-playoff clubs are now focused on the offseason while the postseason continues for the remaining teams.
Projected first-round order
1. Washington Wizards (14% chance at No. 1)
2. Indiana Pacers (14%)
3. Brooklyn Nets (14%)
4. Utah Jazz (11.5%)
5. Sacramento Kings (11.5%)
6. Memphis Grizzlies (8.0%)
7. Atlanta Hawks – from New Orleans (6.8%)
8. Dallas Mavericks (6.7%)
9. Chicago Bulls (4.5%)
10. Milwaukee Bucks (3%)
11. Golden State Warriors (2%)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – from L.A. Clippers (1.5%)
13. Miami Heat (1%)
14. Charlotte Hornets (0.5%)
The lottery will establish the first four positions; picks 5-14 will fall in reverse order of regular-season record. Atlanta owns the higher of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ selections, sending the lower pick to Milwaukee.
15. Chicago Bulls – from Portland
16. Memphis Grizzlies – from Phoenix
17. Oklahoma City Thunder – from Philadelphia
18. Charlotte Hornets – from Orlando
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs – from Atlanta
21. Detroit Pistons – from Minnesota
22. Philadelphia 76ers – from Houston
23. Atlanta Hawks – from Cleveland
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Minnesota Timberwolves – from Detroit
29. Cleveland Cavaliers – from San Antonio
30. Dallas Mavericks – from Oklahoma City
Projected second-round order
31. New York Knicks – from Washington
32. Memphis Grizzlies – from Indiana
33. Brooklyn Nets
34. Sacramento Kings
35. San Antonio Spurs – from Utah
36. L.A. Clippers – from Memphis
37. Oklahoma City Thunder – from Dallas
38. Chicago Bulls – from New Orleans
39. Houston Rockets – from Chicago
40. Boston Celtics – from Milwaukee
41. Miami Heat – from Golden State
42. San Antonio Spurs – from Portland
43. Brooklyn Nets – from L.A. Clippers
44. San Antonio Spurs – from Miami
45. Sacramento Kings – from Charlotte
46. Orlando Magic
47. Phoenix Suns – from Philadelphia
48. Dallas Mavericks – from Phoenix
49. Denver Nuggets – from Atlanta
50. Toronto Raptors
51. Washington Wizards – from Minnesota
52. L.A. Clippers – from Cleveland
53. Houston Rockets
54. Golden State Warriors – from L.A. Lakers
55. New York Knicks
56. Chicago Bulls – from Denver
57. Atlanta Hawks – from Boston
58. New Orleans Pelicans – from Detroit
59. Minnesota Timberwolves – from San Antonio
60. Washington Wizards – from Oklahoma City
The lottery is scheduled for May 10, with the draft to follow on June 25-26.
Source: ESPN
